Long Connecticut: A True Story

Hiya friends. I know we’ve been doing this whole “What happened in between WW2 and the Cold War” thing, and I’m very excited to tell you more about the rocky history of America’s plan to save Europe from economic collapse and the implosion of the British Empire, maybe even how close France was to going communist, but you see, there’s something that’s been living in my brain rent-free for a year now and I’ve just gotta share it with you. It is a dream deferred, a vision of a better world. It’s this. It’s Long Connecticut. It was real, and if you’re wondering where it went, that involves three American civil wars and a long-forgotten 51st state so buckle up!

Music (in order of appearance):
Kevin Macleod - Long Stroll
Kevin Macleod - Hidden Past
37 Room Music - Emotional Epic Trailer
Kevin Macleod - Doh De Oh
Kevin Macleod - Hackbeat
Mat Steiner - War of Stars
John Philip Sousa - The Honored Dead
Kevin Macleod - Darkling
Purple Planet - Film Noir Mobster
Orchestrails - Dark Ambient Documentary Cello

[KingAxxerr]

As a Chilean-Connecticuter I feel like long Connecticut is my true home

[nathanseper]

As someone from Connecticut, I demand a revival of the Connecticut empire!

[Cronoswraith]

Having driven through Connecticut once by mistake for about five minutes before turning back while on holiday, I too demand that Long Connecticut be revived! Everyone in the US should be able to drive into Connecticut by mistake!

[modernfellow]

As a life time Connecticut citizen, I can confirm that long Connecticut has been the most interesting thing to happen since

[felonyx]

As a Connecticut citizen, I want our rightful longness back.

[VloggingThroughHistory]

I grew up in Weathersfield Township, in Trumbull County, Ohio...not far from Western Reserve High School. Our whole corner of Ohio is full of Connecticut names that remind us of our time as the CT Western Reserve.

[bottasheimfe]

I love how you used like half a dozen ways to describe people from Connecticut

[sirrliv]

Long Connecticut may have died, but it gave its life to form a new dream: Ohio.
Hey, I never said all dreams were good.

[Rubadubdub]

I'm so glad you have finally covered this important issue. As a Connecticut citizen I strongly believe our rightful territory and length returned to us.

[mcintoshpc]

Thank you, Mr. Rackham, for treating our majestic state with the proper respect she deserves
Jokes, aside, seeing the history of Connecticut being covered outside of grade school is absolutely wild and I’m so happy this video exists

[thisisbossi]

Love that none of my Pennsylvania History classes from grade school ever mentioned Long Connecticut or any of the several wars. Mostly they just gave the impression that William Penn had a big ol' forest that he just kind of strolled around and thought "this is nice"

[xandercruz]

Please do more on the various claims. This is one of those early American oddities that really barely gets a paragraph in most books.

[JonO]

Man the sheer amount of tax revenue there could be today if Long Connecticut survived 😢

[mariaft]

As a Clevelander…I did know this! I often feel like we feel like an east coast city, formed of Connecticut …Columbus midwestern…Cincinnati southern. Cleveland was known as the Western Reserve (of Connecticut). Case Western Reserve University, for example.

[zacharyh.]

Early British colonial claims will always be hilarious. Long Georgia supposedly stretched all the way to Los Angeles (and Slightly-Shorter Georgia went to the Mississippi)

[AverytheCubanAmerican]

Something interesting is because of how anti-slavery the Western Reserve region was as the result of Connecticut's former influence, the three oldest sons of the abolitionist John Brown, John Jr, Jason, and Owen, together with other participants in John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, were all living in Ashtabula County outside Cleveland. Not to mention Governor William Denison refused to honor Virginia's request for Owen's arrest and extradition!

And something else the region has in common with Connecticut: Clambake! After the Civil War, railroads began carrying fresh Atlantic seafood on ice from New York through Pennsylvania, Ohio and on to Chicago, which led to it becoming popular around Cleveland! Cleveland's Public Square was actually designed when it was part of Connecticut! Moses Cleaveland oversaw the New England–style design of the plan for what would become the modern downtown area, centered on Public Square, before returning to CT, never again to visit Ohio. Moses Cleaveland once served in the Connecticut militia as a brigadier general during the American Revolution, and he was a shareholder in the Connecticut Land Company!

[danielsantiagourtado]

What a hearthbreaking tale! Justice For Long Connecticut! ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️

[robertosantiago]

It’s sad that as a resident of Connecticut, that I had to learn the history of my state by myself and not with others in school.

[jmilisto]

The fact that the people from the seventeenth century are animated wielding Mosins tickles me more than it should.

[ivanl.]

As a Connecticandy I can confirm, we have NO idea what to call ourselves.